Herero Chat

Striking marsh bird, medium-sized with exceptionally long toes. In some regions adult is entirely black; other populations more similar to Northern Jacana with rufous upperparts. Always has red forehead and wattle at base of bill. Juveniles very similar to Northern Jacana: bronzy-brown above with white underparts and eyebrow; note yellow bill and long toes to separate from other marsh birds. All ages show yellow wings in flight. Found in wetlands, usually with a combination of grasses and lily pads.

Small bird of foothill forests. Males have a pale buffy body with black head, wings, and tail; females are much more drab, with a grayish-green head, pale bluish-green back, and yellowish underparts. In good light, both sexes show blue in flight feathers. Found in foothill forests and edge habitats, dry valleys, and in humid forest around the bases of the tepuis. Usually observed at fruiting trees, often in pairs or small family groups, from lower levels into canopy. Calls are indistinct chips and twitters. Plumage pattern of male is distinctive; females are more confusing but are seldom seen without males, facilitating identification; note contrasting gray head and (at close range) blue in wings.

A chunky, streak-backed warbler with a rusty head and wings, a ragged rufous tail, and black moustache stripes. It avoids woodland and trees, preferring rank areas with long grass, scrubby edge, and wet heathland (fynbos). It hops and clambers through dense brush and thickets, then flies low on rapidly-beating wings in labored flight to the next bush, immediately diving into cover. But it will also perch on prominent tall shrubs, like proteas, and sing its melodious tinkling jumbled song that starts softly and gets progressively louder. It also has a distinctive flat mewing “meeeeep” call. The Moustached Grass-Warbler is similar to the Cape Grassbird, but it has a plain unstreaked back, a broad black tail, and a pale eye.